From: The spectrum of acute bacterial meningitis in elderly patients
 | Group I (non-elderly) | Group II (elderly) | RR (95% CI) | P value |
---|---|---|---|---|
 | N = 427 | N = 208 |  |  |
Age (yrs) | 32.0 (22.0–54.0) | 74.0 (68.0–78.0) | ---- | < 0.0001 |
15–24 yrs (%) | 134 (31.4) | ---- | ---- | ---- |
25–34 yrs (%) | 59 (13.8) | ---- | ---- | ---- |
35–44 yrs. (%) | 60 (14.0) | ---- | ---- | ---- |
45–54 yrs (%) | 77 (18.0) | ---- | ---- | ---- |
55–64 yrs (%) | 97 (22.7) | ---- | ---- | ---- |
≥ 65 yrs (%) | ---- | 208 (100) | ---- | ---- |
Male (%) | 205 (48.0) | 99 (47.6) | 0.99 (0.79–1.24) | 0.9895 |
Co-morbidity (%) | 168 (39.3) | 148 (71.1) | 2.49 (1.93–3.22) | < 0.0001 |
Cancer†(%) | 46 (10.8) | 40 (19.2) | 1.52 (1.17–1.97) | 0.0051 |
Alcohol abuse (%) | 43 (10.1) | 21 (7.1) | 1.00 (0.69–1.45) | 0.8963 |
Liver cirrhosis (%) | 15 (3.5) | 8 (3.8) | 1.06 (0.60–1.88) | 0.9878 |
Diabetes mellitus (%) | 35 (8.2) | 46 (22.1) | 1.94 (1.54–2.44) | < 0.0001 |
Chronic lung disease‡ (%) | 11 (2.6) | 25 (12.0) | 2.27 (1.27–2.91) | < 0.0001 |
Chronic cardiovascular disease§ (%) | 15 (3.5) | 59 (28.6) | 3.00 (2.51–3.59) | < 0.0001 |
Chronic renal failure (%) | 17 (4.0) | 21 (10.1) | 1.76 (1.29–2.40) | 0.0041 |
Chronic debilitating diseases¶ (%) | 8 (1.9) | 17 (8.2) | 2.17 (1.62–2.91) | 0.0003 |
Immunosuppressionll (%) | 60 (14.0) | 42 (20.2) | 1.36 (1.04–1.77) | 0.0428 |
Charlson Index ≥ 1 | 134 (31.4) | 136 (65.4) | 2.55 (2.00–3.24) | < 0.0001 |
0 (%) | 283 (68.6) | 72 (34.6) | 0.42 (0.33–0.53) | < 0.0001 |
1–2 (%) | 87 (20.4) | 80 (38.5) | 1.75 (1.41–2.17) | < 0.0001 |
3–4 (%) | 22 (5.1) | 42 (20.2) | 2.26 (1.81–2.81) | < 0.0001 |
≥ 5 (%) | 25 (5.8) | 14 (5.7) | 1.10 (0.71–1.70) | 0.7984 |
Nosocomial acquisition (%) | 14 (3.3) | 11 (5.3) | 1.36 (0.86–2.15) | 0.3149 |
Recurrent meningitis (%) | 18 (4.2) | 10 (4.8) | 1.09 (0.66–1.82) | 0.8924 |